Disposable diapers provided with leg flaps are widely known. Diapers of this type have a pair of leg flaps along laterally opposing sides (longer sides) thereof.
In putting a disposable diaper of this type on a child, the leg flap may be tucked inside around the legs. If the leg flap is left as tucked in, the diaper can leak along the leg flap while worm. Then, it is necessary for a caregiver to check around the leg openings to be sure that the diaper is not tucked in after each diaper change, which is troublesome.
A disposable diaper having leg flaps folded back laterally outward is known.
For example, JP 2001-309938A (hereinafter “document 1”) discloses a disposable diaper having a pair of leg flaps, in which each leg flap has three elastic members disposed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the flap in a laterally middle portion of the flap, and the leg flap is folded back laterally outward along a folding line positioned outboard of the most inboard edge of the most inboard one of the three elastic members.
JP 2001-293029A (document 2) discloses a method of packaging a disposable diaper, in which a diaper is longitudinally folded in three with each leg flap folded laterally outward.
JP 2001-520082A (document 3) and JP 2002-522117A (document 4) disclose a disposable diaper, in which the most outboard leg elastic member is disposed near the distal edge of the leg flap, and a separately provided sheet is joined on the upper side (skin facing side) of the leg elastic members. Since the leg elastic member is disposed near the distal edge of the leg flap, the distal part of the leg flap forms substantially no frill. Therefore, the leg flap is prevented from being tucked inside when the diaper is put on a child. This makes a diaper change smooth because there is no need for a caregiver to give attention to the leg openings.
Either of the diapers of documents 1 and 2 has no means for fixing the outward fold of the leg flaps although a folding crease is formed on folding the leg flaps outward. Either diaper has no effect in directing the leg flaps outward while worn so that the leg flaps may be tucked into the inside of the leg openings when put on.
The diapers of documents 3 and 4 tend to allow the leg gathers to move into the wearer's groins in the crotch portion and toward the cleft of the wearer's buttocks in the buttock portion, which reduces the fit and causes leakage.